JOIN THE HUDDLE
I’ve decided I’m going to stop calling myself an “independent artist” because that’s not true, I’m an “interdependent artist”. I don’t have a label or investors but I’m not doing this alone and I’m dependent on the people I do it with and for. I have my team (who happen to be my best friends) and I have YOU, the people that have found value in what I create and have chosen to follow on the journey.
The reality for most artists (who aren’t getting bazillions of streams) is that we don’t make enough money to sustain our lives through that income alone and so we get on with it, we work other jobs and we faithfully keep coming back to the labour of our craft because there’s nothing else we’d rather do AND it’s a service to those who depend upon it. What a gift.
I want to build a more sustainable way forward, a structure that willhelp further the music and the message like never before. Here’s how it works - you’ll pay £6 a month and in return, I’ll be offering an insight into my journey as well as day-in-the-life vlogs, essays and reflections, merch discounts, meet ups and online gatherings.
A lot of the time it feels like we’re giving our art away for free and although we adapt to this bizarre moment we’re in, I think this is a pretty cool way to shift from independence to interdependence, I’m personally loving the opportunity to support the artists I value and who’s work I depend upon.
I’m finishing up my second album at the moment which has been slowly coming together over the last year, I’ve never been more excited and at the same time, terrified about releasing art into the world. I’m not trying to sound dramatic, it’s just that it’s the most personal work I’ve ever created. I suppose my hope is that it’s the most universal, connecting and helpful as a result. I love what Fred Buechner said about Rembrandt’s self portrait, that in his artistic capturing of himself (in all his imperfection), he captured something of us all, I’m paraphrasing but I’m going after something of that. Making music in 2023 is wild, we don’t get paid for it, I mean we do, we get paid $0.005 per stream, which is something but it’s not a lot when you’re trying to create something of the highest possible quality. If you want to help me out and be apart of this album, I’d love to have you! I’m bringing all my Patreon subscribers along for the ride, live streams in the studio, sharing songs in process, long form writing around the subject of this album, it’s going to be great.
I’ll be transparent, I’m trying to build a community of 500 patrons, because that will fund this album campaign in its entirety, regardless of how many streams we get. I’m talking music videos, PR Campaigns, Radio Pluggers and most importantly the time to create the work it’s self. I love Patreon I support a few artists on there because I agree with what CS Lewis said, “Art has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.”
Perks:
The Main Event mug (annual sign up)
The Main Event mailing (long form reflections)
The Main Event meet ups (online and in person)
Live Podcast Recordings
Discount on merch and live events
Hear new and unreleased music by Joshua Luke Smith
Online and in person meet ups
